Hickory Leaves

[Grey]

I have a friend here in GA who was complaining to me that nothing grows in his yard. Now, like me, his soil is rock hard and he just had his yard hydroseeded. He thinks the culprit is the hickory leaves, but I didn't think they were bad? I've heard hickory ash is good for sweetening soil.

Didn;t see hickory in the NPK values, and haven't had luck finding it yet, but will keep looking.

Here is all I found so far for hickory: " The ashes of dense hardwoods like oak and hickory are best for sweetening soil. Apply no more than 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet per year. If your soil is on the alkaline side, you can lower the pH by working in sawdust, leaf mold, or peat moss."

also a source for molybendum:
MOLYBDENUM: Cornstalks, vetch, ragweed, horsetail, poplar and hickory leaves, peace tree clippings. For deficiencies, experts recommend raising the pH of very acid soils to 7 with ground limestone.

[opabinia51]

Very interesting. Thanks for the information Grey!

[The Helpful Gardener]

I have not heard (and more importantly my friend BillCullina makes no mention in his book) of hickories being alleopathic (secreting chemicals that inhibit growth). They do, however have massive root systems and throw a good deal of shade, and grass HATES dry shade...

HG

[Grey]

Thanks, Scott!

I was wondering if the hickory leaves were alleopathic, but could not find anything that suggested it.

I believe all that shade is likely the culprit.
Not to mention, our clay soils around here are hard as a rock unless you aereate the soil every so often. Roots need to breathe a little!

Around here, apparently growing grass is sort of a pain in the kiester, so I have gotten DH to agree that I get the backyard for all the plants my heart desires as it is pretty shady, and he can put his lawn in the front. We don't have time to try to baby grass in the shade!

[Briarwoods]

I was told that the nuts do something to the soil over the years. I could not grow grass in my yard at all and there was a HUGE 50 year old hickory tree next door and we got all the nuts. It was not a shade problem though. Needless to say..we put down artificial turf that looked and felt just like the real thing.